Improvement in converting cast-iron into steel



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Letters mam No. 101,963, da-ted'April 12, 1810.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONVERTING CAST IRON INTO STEEL.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM HARRIS andADAM WOOLEVER', both of the city of Allentown, in thecounty of Lehighand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inthe Process for Converting Cast-Iron into Steel; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the altto make. and use thesame.

Our process consists in commingling with melted cast-iron certainchemical substances, which, being decomposed by the intense heat of theiron, produce the requisite chemical change and quality in the latter,-which is known as steel.

The chemical substances which are thus cummingied, and'the usualproportions of the same, are as folows:

Common salt, one quart; salt-peter,one pound; glass, one pound;antimony, one pound; blackoxide of manganese, four pounds; fullelsearth, two pounds; sulphurio acid, two pounds; litharge, two pounds;pulverized charcoal, three quarts.

The abovequantities are sudicient for a charge of about four hundred andtwenty-five-pounds of castiron, more or less... V

The iron is melted until quite thin in a puddling or other suitablefurnace, and the above-mentioned substances are intimately mingledtogether, (on otherwise,) and then stirred into the iron by the usualpuddling manipulations until the same is withdrawn from the furnace.

By conducting steam into the stack of the puddii'ngfurnace at the propertime, it creates a strong draught, and rapidly removes the impuritiesand gases which are expelled from the metal by the chemicals used.

1V6 also form a bottom in the puddling-furnace from the cinder and slagof wrought-iron scrap. 'lhisbottom is less-impregnated with impurities,and makes better and clearer steel.

metal until it shows a fine grain.

The pig-iron used should be broken into equal sizes, so that the pieceswill melt at the same time, and when the iron is thoroughly melted thedamper is then to be closed and the blast taken ofi'. Thenput in thechemicals.- Then work the heated mass thoroughly for a few minutes. theblast, and apply the steam to the furnace-stack to create a strong orrapid flame and heat, and thereby rapidly expel the gases and otherimpurities from the Then the steam and blast are taken'olf and thedamper closed. Then the pulverized charcoal is thoroughly stirred intothe mass by the usual puddling manipulations. Then the damper is raisedand the blast put on, and the furnace to be kept full of flame up to thestopper-hole until the melted mass begins to drop. 7 Then the damperisclosed within one link, and the blast reduced, so as only to keep thefurnace full. of flame and exclude the air. p, Then, when it drops, keepit down in its cinder or slag by the tool, and close the mass togetherso as to prevent'a lap, and thereby keep in all the carbon Witnesses:

E. REHRIG, CHAS. Eoxnnr.

Then open the damper, put on

